Initiation of Ripening in Bartlett Pear with an Antiauxin α(p-Chlorophenoxy)isobutyric Acid

A vacuum infiltration technique was used to apply an anti-auxin, alpha-(p-chlorophenoxy) isobutyric acid to mature green pears (Pyrus communis var. Bartlett). Application of alpha-(p-chlorophenoxy) isobutyric acid, at 0.02, 0.2, and 2.0 mm progressively accelerated the onset of chlorophyll degradation, softening, and CO(2) evolution. The action of alpha(p-chlorophenoxy) isobutyric acid is apparently independent of ethylene, since the auxin analogue depressed ethylene evolution and could overcome ethylene deficiency in fruit ripening under hypobaric conditions.The auxin analogue decreased the Michaelis constant of indoleacetic acid oxidase in vitro, suggesting that the antiauxin action of alpha-(p-chlorophenoxy) isobutyric acid is the acceleration in the breakdown of endogenous auxins in fruit and subsequently the initiation of ripening.